"She's very talented… I didn't even do much teaching. I just kinda showed her it once and off she went…" He popped the top off his flask and took a swig.

"Must be those video games. Y'know, they say that they improve your reflexes and problem solving… And Summer thought it would be bad to let her play them too much." Taiyang smiled sadly.

"What do you mean you can't make it! Dude it's the championship. We worked so hard for this, you can't just- just quit!" Sun's tail twirled and uncurled agitatedly. They had grinded and strived so hard for this chance! There's no way he was about to just let it drop! Not only was it a gaming event, but it was sponsored by the Schnee Dust Corporation. The Schnee's who are less than reputable in their business dealings and faunus labor policies, were hosting an event that he firmly believed they could win. The thought of that bastard's face when he watches a faunus win his game tournament. Oh man! A smile split his features until he realized that it probably wasn't going to happen.

"Listen man, I'm sorry, but my mom's sick and I gotta look after her. Family comes first. Sorry bro, but hey don't sweat it, I got someone to fill my place." Neptune seemed pretty confident in his replacement.

All Sun could do is sigh, "Alright… who'd you get?" He could practically hear the smile and smugness through the phone.

"You know the streamer rlyrlykewlkid17?" The monkey's eyes widened.

"No… you didn't!" He was bouncing in place, unable to control his excitement.

"Oh but I did!"

"Bro! Ah man… You're the best man, I'm sorry for doubting you."

"I know. It's good. Listen, I gotta go take care of my mom now. Talk to you later, alright. Kick ass! Oh, you'll be looking for a red cloak."

"Wait. What? Why!" But it was too late. "Aw man." He clicked the scroll shut and turned to Scarlet and Sage. "Welp, Neptune bailed." Scarlet opened his mouth to voice his concern on the matter, but Sun continued on,"buuuut he got us a replacement."

The pirate dramatically groaned as he looked at the ceiling before placing a hand on his hip and shifting his weight to the corresponding leg. "Well, who is it?" He flipped his hair out of his face.

"You'll find out, just look for a red cloak." Was all the leader said before he began searching the crowd. Scarlet looked to Sage for any advice, but was only met with silent resolution.

Meanwhile, their leader was jumping above the crowd in hopes of getting a glimpse of his replacement for Neptune. The crowd was too much. This event was huge. Any non-private event that the Schnee company hosted was. They certainly knew how to entertain their guests.

For a moment, the monkey faunus caught a glimpse of peculiar blonde hair and lavender eyes that met with his. A gauntleted arm shrugged against something and the other pointed at him. Her and presumably her companion started making their way toward him.

Now Sun… Sun has a less than reputable public image, and someone he doesn't know, armed, picking him out and coming towards him has never been a good thing. He gulped when he landed and slinked back to his teammates. "So uh… we might have trouble."

Scarlet scoffed, "Of course, when isn't there with you." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah, well shut up. Ok, this-"

"Hey, Monkey boy!" The three S's of SSSN turned to face the voice. Sun clenched his teeth and stood straight from his slinking. Shut his eyes tight and whispered a short plea before relaxing and turning to face this stranger.

"Look, I know I left the banana peel on the sidewalk because I missed my throw and was too ashamed to pick it up, but I did eventually go back and properly take care of it ok? So if-"

"You one of the teams?" Her lavender eyes squinted in her analysis of the other two members.

"Yeeeaaahhh…" He looked back to his friends for encouragement, but there was none offered.

The intruder turned around and talked down to someone, "Hey Rubes, I think this is them." The three curious onlookers watched as a red-hooded figure tentatively stepped out from behind her protector.

Sun felt his excitement take over his fear and he began getting jittery. He quickly looked back and forth between the newcomers and his teammates as though saying, "You seein' this! You seein' this!?"

It was Scarlet who broke the scene. "Uh… who's this?" He took his signature pose, hand on hip, weight shifted to same leg. He seemed less than impressed. "He's just a kid."

"Dude! Do you not know who this is! It's that streamer I showed you. The one that doesn't talk or show his face but kicks but and types funny, witty shit on his streams!" His friend's face didn't seem to register the memory. "Whatever man, he's our replacement for Neptune, and don't tell Neptune, but probably a better asset than him too."

Sun turned back to his newly acquired teammate, "Welcome aboard! Glad to have ya. I'm Sun, the leader of this scraggly gang, that's Scarlet… he's uh… and that's Sage, he's quiet."

"Hey-" but the pirate's protests were cut off by the red-hood.

Facing them properly, Ruby looked at them each individually in the eyes before speaking, "I'm Ru- rlyrlykewlkid17. Pleasure to meet you." At the sound of her voice, Sun and Scarlet made an… oh shit eye contact.

"Listen, uh… We meant nothing by uh… thinking you were a guy or anything. We just kinda assumed because y'know uhm…. Girls aren't really big into the gaming scene, which isn't a problem of course! I think it's actually really cool that you're into it and I'll just shut up now." The once bouncing monkey fiddled with his hands awkwardly.

"It's ok, I know. No harm done." The offenders breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then uh… let's go get our spots, kick some a- butt, and win this thing!"

"Crush them sis!" Yang waved energetically at her little sister, who in turn turned back and shot a little smile and a wave.

"I thought your fourth member was uh…" The man flipped through some papers, "Neptune Vasilias. Who's this?" Everything Schnee-related is stiff and no-nonsense. Which is partially why Sun was so adamant on winning this thing.

"This is-" Ruby held up a hand to cut off whatever explanation Sun was about to blunder out. She leaned in close so only the man could hear.

Through her whispered conversation, the man's lower lip pressed up against his upper one making an odd pucker but understandable expression as he nodded; snorted a bit with a smile, and when she was done, he had a lopsided grin.

When she first leaned in, Sun looked to Scarlet and Sage with a questioning expression, they both just shrugged and observed. Upon pulling away, and the man granting them passage, Sun decided, "Whatever, if it works, it works."

"-And this ragtag team of what seem to be delinquents secure another victory! What an upset! Wow! Alright, we'll be back after a 15 minute intermission."

Now, Sun was the leader. As such he should make the calls, the plays, the picks, and the decisions. Should. However, it wasn't long within their first match that all three of them, Sun, Scarlet, and Sage, began gradually responding to and following their fourth member's calls. Sun became just the front of the operation while Ruby was the leader. It just felt natural to all of them, and it was working! And, "If it works, it works." In other words, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.